Bootjack



FREDERICK AHL, OF TEST MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

BOOTJACK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,404, dated December 28, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK AHL, of IVest Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bootjacks as a New Article of Manufacture; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction, character, and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which makes a part of this specification, which drawing is a perspective view of the apparatus.

My improvements consist in so constructing the boot jack, that it will adord a rest for both hands to hold it steady while drawing the foot from the boot, and in not only having the ordinary notch, or space, for the heel of the boot, but also a vibrating piece, 0f the proper shape, to rest, upon the upper surface of the foot of the boot, between the toe and instep, so as to hold the boot in the most convenient position to draw the foot from it.

I make the platform, A., for the foot to rest on, substantially, in the form shown in the drawing, with a notch, or space, for the heel of the boot at its elevated end, in the usual form, as represented at B. I mount this platform, A, in two upright posts, or standards, C and D, as represented in the drawing, so that the end, at B, will be sufliciently elevated to receive the heel of the boot, and I carry up these standards, C and D, to a suflicient height to be convenient to rest both hands on the cross bar, hereinafter described, to steady the whole apparatus. At about one half the height of these standards I insert a rock-shaft E, which revolves with perf-ect freedom in bearings in the standards, (as at a). To this rock-shaft I attach a vibrating arm F, to the extreme end of which I attach a crescent-shaped piece, G, to lit, substantially, the upper surface of the foot of the boot between the toe and the instep. At the top of these standards, C and D, I fit a cross-bar, as II, which I extend on each side, as represented at Z; and c, to form handles to rest the hands upon while drawing the foot from the boot, and, this cross-bar also renders it useful as a clothes, or hat, stand.

To use the boot jack, I place one fcot on the platform, A, and pass the heel of the boot, on the other foot, into the notch, or space, at B, (in doing which I push the lower end of the vibrating arm, F, forward, and then allow the crescent-shaped piece to fall back onto the upper surface of the foot of the boot at the desired point,) take hold of the handles, b and c' with my hands, to hold the whole steady, and then draw the foot from the boot.

It will be readily perceived that this apparatus will, also, be very serviceable as a clothes, or hat, stand.

To pack this apparatus, for transportation, Sac., I unscrew the knobs, l and e, at the top, take o the cross-bar, II, and take out the screws which secure the standards to the platform, (one of which is seen at g,) when the whole may be packed within the length of the standards, and width of the platform.

I am aware that boot jacks have been made where an inflexible portion pressed on the upper surface of the foot of the boot; I therefore, do not claim that, as such, as my invention, but- That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The within described arrangement of the platform, (AQ vibrating arm, (F,) and cross-bar, (IL) when the whole is constructed, arranged, and made to produce the result, substantially, as herein described.

FREDERICK AI-IL.

Vitnesses THnoDoRE JOHN, R. FITZGERALD. 

